


A Fashionable Rescue

by TenRoseForeverandever



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence - No Doomsday, Crack, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Home, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 02:53:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8604349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TenRoseForeverandever/pseuds/TenRoseForeverandever
Summary: Becky and Maddie, two friendly Daleks who travel with the Doctor and Rose, enlist the aid of Captain Jack when Rose and the Doctor are being held captive on a hostile planet.PLEASE read the notes before proceeding...





	1. A Difficult Predicament

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS STORY SERIOUSLY!!! It is completely ridiculous. And quite poorly thought out. Much of it makes no sense but... meh.
> 
> My kids used to play with their plush Daleks, dressing them in Build-a-Bear clothing. The Daleks, Becky and Maddie, became known as the "Fashionable Daleks", complete with catchphrase "We're. So. Fashionable! Tee-hee-hee! " (Because, kids...!)
> 
> So, a couple of years back, my son wrote a story about these Becky and Maddie, called "Skaro and Earth" which he posted on FF.net. The synopsis follows:  
> Becky and Maddie escaped having their emotions removed when they were young, and commandeered a Dalek ship to escape the Dalek Empire. They were pursued by the Cult of Skaro and the Dalek Empress (my son has a thing for powerful female characters... bless!) Long story short, they ended up on Earth, where they met the Doctor and Rose. Eventually overcoming their skepticism, the Doctor and Rose joined forces with the Daleks to defeat the Cult of Skaro and the Empress, and they all saved the Earth from a Dalek incursion. The two Daleks end up traveling with Rose and the Doctor, and are delighted to be introduced to the Wardrobe Room. Through fashion, they are able to express their individuality. And they all lived happily ever after.  
> *Because the Cult of Skaro is destroyed... no Doomsday, folks! Rose travels with the Doctor for her forever!
> 
> This story is a sequel to "Skaro and Earth", one that I wrote for my son's 16th birthday (which was Friday.) I was struggling to find gifts for him this year, but I knew he would appreciate a story written by me. My daughter prompted me to write one about their beloved characters, Becky and Maddie.

 

Becky wheeled into the TARDIS console room, her plunger and gun stalk, waving in agitation. “Maddie!”  She spun her dome around, searching for her sister. Spotting her on the far side of the console, she rotated her body and rushed toward her, her pink, satin gown flowing behind her. “I am getting worried, Maddie! They have been gone too long! Something must have happened.”

“They _have_ been gone for many rels… But, I would not worry, Becky. The Doctor and Rose are good at getting themselves out of difficult predicaments.”

“I know… but, it has been too long. They were just picking up spare parts for the TARDIS. They said they would be gone for only a few rels. Now, it is far past Rose’s sleep time.”

“What do you suggest we do? We cannot go out there. The Doctor said the inhabitants on this planet would never accept us; that they would be dangerous to us.”

Becky dipped her eyestalk in despair. “We have to do something! They would never abandon _us_. They would find a way to help.”

Maddie’s crimson gown rustled as she rolled toward the monitor. She peered into it. “I don’t see them, nearby…” She pressed her bejewelled plunger to a series of buttons on the console. “But, I _can_ link into the TARDIS’ sensors and track their life signs. Success. The Doctor’s is strong, but Rose’s…”

“Maddie, what is it?”

“Rose’s is very weak, Becky. She is dying.”

Becky rushed down the ramp toward the doors. She tried to open them, but they wouldn’t budge. Frustrated, she raised her gun arm.

“Stop, Becky!”

“They need our help! We must go.”

The TARDIS made a loud, angry grinding sound, silencing Becky.

“Look! Over here, Becky. The TARDIS is trying to show us something. Look!”

With a last glance at the stubborn TARDIS’ doors, Becky swiveled her dome and reluctantly rolled back up the ramp. The TARDIS was displaying a series of pictures of a man wearing a long, blue military jacket. His name appeared on the screen: _Captain Jack Harkness_.

“Rose and the Doctor have mentioned him,” Maddie recalled. “He was their friend. He used to travel with them.”

“He works for Torchwood.”

“He _is_ Torchwood,” Maddie emphasized. “With all the resources he has, he could help us.”

“But isn’t Torchwood dangerous? The Doctor has never had anything good to say about Torchwood.”

“I know, Becky.  But, the TARDIS thinks he is our best option. He was their friend. He _might_ be willing to help us. It is worth a try.”

“But how do we find him? We cannot just take the TARDIS.”

The TARDIS responded with a gentle hum.

“You would not mind?” Becky asked her.

The TARDIS answered by illuminating the dials and levers the Daleks knew would take them into the vortex.

Maddie was already setting the coordinates the TARDIS suggested. “Earth; Year 2008; Cardiff, Wales.”

Becky shuffled, straightening her gown, and making sure her necklace was settled nicely around her grill.

“What are you doing?”

“We need to make a good impression, Maddie. Captain Jack fought Daleks with Rose and the Doctor. He will not trust us.”

“You are correct! Is my bow on straight?”

Becky reached up to straighten the dark red bow that adorned one of Maddie’s dome lights. “There. Perfect.” She prodded Maddie’s puff-sleeves, making them neat and tidy. 

“We should get the shields in place.”

The TARDIS sent them both a reassuring hum. She would protect them with her shields for as long as they needed.

“Becky, you operate the controls on that side of the console.” Maddie gestured with her plunger. “I will look after the ones on this side.”

Becky complied, apprehension making her quiver inside her casing. She did not like conflict. Not one bit. But if enlisting the help of Captain Jack Harkness was their best option for rescuing Rose and the Doctor, she would  be willing to do whatever it took to ensure he knew he could trust them, even if he tried to harm her and her sister in the process. Determined, she poised her plunger above the appropriate controls. “Ready, Maddie.”

“Allons-y!” Maddie chirped. “Tee-hee-heeeee!”


	2. Flirty Chic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's POV: Two very unusual Daleks arrive in the Doctor's TARDIS to try to enlist Jack's help.

 “What the hell…”  Jack Harkness had seen a lot of strange things in his very long life, but Daleks, dressed to the nines in ball gowns, took the proverbial cake. The fact that they appeared to have commandeered the Doctor’s TARDIS just added even more weird to the bizarre experience. He raised his phase blaster to his shoulder, prepared to defend Torchwood against the hostile incursion, because Daleks were hostile: hands down; no ifs, ands, or buts… regardless of how well they were dressed. And that, he mused, was not something he ever thought he would ever ‘hear’ himself thinking.  “Don’t come any closer! I’ll shoot.”

The two Daleks shuffled back a bit. “Jack Harkness. We require your assistance,” the one in the red gown spoke.

Well, that was just puzzling. Even their voice modulators sounded different… more emotional. “No, really, I mean it. I’ll shoot. I don’t particularly care much for Daleks. They were responsible for my first death, and I don’t think I’ve ever quite forgiven them for that.”

“Please believe us,” the other Dalek implored. “We come on a mission of peace. We need your help, and we do not know where else to turn.”

The weird-factor just hit the roof. “Since when have the Daleks ever allied themselves with _anyone_ , especially a human?”

The Dalek rolled forward again, and panic rushed through Jack. While he knew he wouldn’t stay dead if he was shot, he had absolutely no desire to experience another painful death-by-Dalek. On instinct, he fired his blaster directly at the Dalek’s eyestalk.

The blast was absorbed by the extended forcefield of the TARDIS. Jack groaned. Somehow, the Daleks had control of the TARDIS. That kind of power in the clutches of the Daleks was not a situation he was willing to consider. They _had_ to be stopped, at all costs. But how would he even break through that forcefield. Even as he contemplated his options, he heard the Doctor’s voice in his mind: “That forcefield can hold back anything…”

Well, he had to try. He fired again; and again. To no effect. Except the two Daleks were cowering around the side of the TARDIS… which didn’t make a lot of sense if they knew they had the TARDIS to defend them; unless they _didn’t_ _know_ the TARDIS was defending them.

“Please don’t hurt us! We do not mean any harm,” the Dalek in the pink gown with lots of bling appealed. “We would never hurt anyone. The Doctor does not like guns, and neither do we…”

Jack’s jaw dropped. “But you’re Daleks. You are living weapons of destruction and hate.”

“Not us,” the one with the red bow on its dome spoke up. “We are different. Rogues. We helped the Doctor and Rose defeat the Cult of Skaro and the Dalek Empress. But we have no place among our own kind. We are outcasts.”

“Wait! Let me get this straight: you helped the Doctor and Rose defeat…” Jack ran a hand through his hair.

“Yes, and they were kind enough to let us travel with them and give us a home...”

“…and let us use the wardrobe room whenever we want,” the other Dalek added. “We are so… fashionable! Tee-hee-heeee!”

Jack’s eyes widened and he couldn’t suppress a chuckle. This honestly couldn’t be for real. And yet here it was, right in front of him: two friendly Daleks with a sense of fashion he was sure was positively chic somewhere in space and time.

“But we need your help,” the one in the red dress insisted, “because they are trapped on a planet where we would not be welcome.”

“And Rose is dying!” the one in the pink dress blurted.

Jack’s heart nearly stopped. Rose! His beautiful friend, Rose, was dying! He forcibly tamped down his resentment about her and the Doctor abandoning him on the Game Station following his miraculous reanimation, leaving him to find his way through the universe with a defective vortex manipulator. Even though he’d been marooned on 19th Century Earth, and had had to live through one hundred and twenty years with no interplanetary travel and positively prehistoric technology, none of that mattered in light of the information the Daleks had given him.

“What are we waiting for then?” He lowered his gun, and stepped toward the time ship, confident that the shields would be lowered in time for him to step into their range. He was right. “Ladies,” he addressed the two Daleks. “Captain Jack Harkness at your service. (Love the puff sleeves, by the way.)” In spite of the fact that Rose was in grave danger, he couldn’t help a smile. He imagined the Doctor would assume he was flirting, if he had been there. “There’s a time and a place, Harkness,” he would growl. Flirting with Daleks! Well, Jack thought, he’d definitely flirted with worse.

“Thank-you so much! I am Maddie,” said the Dalek in the red gown and puff sleeves.

“And I am Becky. We are so worried about Rose. Please hurry.”

He shook his head in awe. “You have names, too? You two are just one surprise after another! Well, in for a penny… Lead the way, ladies; I’m right behind you.”  He followed them into the TARDIS, stopping for a moment to bask in his warm, familiar surroundings. Home. “Well, Old Girl,” he addressed the TARDIS, “I never thought I’d see you again. You are a sight for sore eyes.”

Maddie and Becky started to set the coordinates for the return jump.”

“Hold up there, ladies.”

They lifted their eyestalks from their work to look at Jack.

“Since time is going to be pressing once we land, you need to fill me in on everything I need to know about this rescue _now_. And we need to make sure we get as close as we possibly can to the Doc and Rose; in the building where they’re being held, if possible.” He strode over to the monitor, and soon he and the Daleks were formulating a plan.


	3. Rescue and Resuscitation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Daleks and Jack rescue the Doctor and Rose, but will it be too late for Rose?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the absolutely ridiculous use of well... what can I say... everything that makes the rescue and resuscitation work. Dodgy science, at best, and poorly thought out. Just go with it, please! :D

Becky swept ahead of the haggard, little group as they rushed back to the TARDIS. She burst through the door, and up the ramp to get out of the way of the Doctor, who dashed in behind her, carrying Rose in his arms. The TARDIS had placed the infirmary right next to the console room, and the Doctor immediately lay Rose on the infirmary bed and began to perform medical scans. Jack was right behind him and Maddie pulled up the rear, making sure the door was closed firmly behind them.

“Becky! Maddie!” the Doctor called. “Get the TARDIS into the Vortex! Jack, here, hold this. I need to know what internal damage there’s been. Run the scan while I hook her up to an IV and oxygen.”

Becky turned back to the console room with Maddie. She was worried about Rose, but the best thing she could do right now was stay out of the Doctor’s way. Her bulky Dalekanium casing would just take up valuable space in the infirmary and make it difficult for the Doctor to work.  In a matter of seconds the Daleks had piloted the TARDIS into the Vortex, away from the hostile planet.

They tried to keep busy while they waited for news from the infirmary, but they ended up hovering near the doorway, listening to the Doctor and Jack working feverishly on Rose.

Becky took the time to reflect on the rescue.

When they arrived back at the planet, scans had revealed the Doctor and Rose being held captive in an outdoor facility, with only a meagre lean-to like structure for shelter, and temperatures plummeting with nightfall. There had been some kind of disruptive forcefield, preventing the TARDIS from materializing within the city limits. Jack had explained that some planets used these types of forcefields to keep intergalactic traffic to a minimum inside busy centres. They had parked as close to the city limits as possible and had decided Jack would have to make his way to the prison on foot. 

“What?” Jack had asked. “You’re asking me to fly solo? No way! With arsenal like yours? There’s no way I can do this without you.”

There had been a brief argument, but Jack had been adamant. So the trio had made their way to the entrance gates, where a single night-duty guard was in attendance.

“This might just be our lucky day,” Jack had proclaimed. “Let me handle the guard.” He had slicked back his hair, and put on his most charming, flirty expression and swaggered up to the little booth.  “Well hello, beautiful…”

Things had gone from slightly hopeful to bad, and then to very, very bad. The guard had been having none of Jack’s come-ons and pick-up lines, and had made it clear that she was not at all enamoured of the company he was keeping.

“I knew this was a bad idea…” Becky had muttered.

“Maddie!” Jack had called. “Stun setting. Now.”

Maddie had complied. She had lifted her gun arm and stunned the guard.

Jack had quickly tied the guard up. “Sorry, doll, but needs must.” He had shaken his head at the unconscious woman as he pressed the buttons to allow them through the gate. He had gestured back at the Daleks and they had all rushed into the city.

Moving quickly, and keeping to the shadows, it had only taken them a few short microrels to find their way to the compound. The facility had been full of prisoners, but they had easily spotted the Doctor huddled over Rose’s still body, trying to keep her warm.

“He’s regenerated…” Jack had mused briefly, before leaping to action. “Ladies, there’s no time to do this quietly, and to be honest, I think the rush of prisoners will provide some cover so we can make it back to the TARDIS. We’re going to release the prisoners: all of them.”

Maddie had wheeled away to create a distraction to draw the guards away.

 “Doctor!” Becky had called, alerting him to their presence.

He had leaped to his feet, cradling Rose in his arms, a wild look in his dark eyes.

Everything had escalated exponentially after that. Becky had used her gun arm to burn through the thick wire fencing surrounding the facility, providing an opening for the prisoners to escape. She had spun around, aiming her gun at a prisoner who tried to push his way out. “You will wait! Obey! Obey! Obey!  The Doc-tor will leave first.”

The prisoner had fortunately capitulated without a fuss, his common sense overcoming his desire to escape, and the Doctor, carrying the unconscious Rose, had thrust his way through the opening. In the commotion that followed, prisoners darting free everywhere, and guards, arriving late and overwhelmed, the little group had been able to escape back to the TARDIS

Becky’s thoughts were wrenched back to the present time when a sudden, terrible sound made her body shudder inside her casing: the Doctor’s wail of anguish resounded through the TARDIS.

“Nooooooo! No, no, no, no! You stay with me, Rose! You stay with me!”

“It’s done, Doc.” Jack’s voice was flat and somber. “You did everything you could. There was just too much damage.”

“No!  I can give her my regeneration energy.”

“But you’d be giving up a life.”

“I’d die for her happily,” the Doctor growled, “as many times as I need to, just so she could live.”

Becky and Maddie poked their eyestalks into the room. “We could help,” Maddie offered.

Becky added, “Yes, we could help amplify your regeneration energy. You wouldn’t need to use as much, using us as a conduit.”

“You might sacrifice several years of _this_ life… but you would not need to lose a full regeneration.”

The Doctor stared at the pair, incredulous, running his hands through his hair. “Of course! Your Dalekanium casing is highly conductive. I would only need to transfer you a small amount of my regeneration energy. You could each amplify the energy in turn, and transmit it directly to Rose. It _could_ work. Oh, but what about you? You could get hurt…”

“The chances are minimal, Doctor,” Maddie assured him. “We can shield ourselves.”

“What are we waiting for?” Jack cried.

The Doctor flashed a manic grin. “Allons-y!”

The Daleks crushed into the room and the TARDIS increased the internal dimensions to accommodate their wide Dalekanium skirts. Becky looked down at Rose’s still, pale form, grief filling her. This _had_ to work. She could not imagine life in the TARDIS without her friend, Rose.

“Now, you mustn’t flood her with the energy all at once. Gradual release. Focus on her internal organs first.”

“Understood,” Becky nodded her eyestalk as she linked with Maddie, and rested her plunger against Rose’s chest. The Doctor held onto Maddie’s plunger arm, and began to glow golden, as he released regeneration energy. In a few nanorels both Daleks were glowing too, as they conducted the energy down Becky’s plunger arm and into Rose. Becky felt a tingling sensation, but otherwise, her shields were holding, keeping her safe from the effects of the powerful force flooding around her.

She watched as the golden glow enveloped Rose, spreading gradually from her core to her extremities. Rose’s chest heaved as she drew in a deep breath, her arms flew open, wide and rigid, and her eyes snapped open, her face frozen in an expression of shock, as the flames of regeneration burned around her.


	4. Fixed Points and Snogging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doctor must face up to why he abandoned Jack on the Game Station; and the tale of Rose's predicament is told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More dodgy details here...

“You’re _ginger_!” the Doctor grumbled.

“Oh, ta!” Rose snarked in return, sitting up on the infirmary bed. “So glad to ‘ave ya back in the land of the livin’, Rose; I don’t know what I would‘ve done without you, Rose; I would never have forgiven myself, Rose...”

“Well, yes, all of that, of course! But you’re bloody _ginger_! _I_ always wanted to be ginger,” he whinged. He suddenly tugged Rose into his arms, burrowing his face in her ginger hair. “I’m sorry. I _am_ so relieved the regeneration energy transfer worked. I don’t know what… I thought I’d lost you! I _love_ you, Rose Tyler.”

Rose pushed back from him, gaping at him, incredulous. “Wait! You… you do?”

He squeezed her hands and smiled gently. “Of course I do.”

“What the hell!” Jack interrupted. “Do you seriously mean that you two have been traveling together all this time since… um…since we got separated, and you haven’t even… _danced_ yet?”

“Oi!” the Doctor admonished. Rose just chuckled, snuggling into the Time Lord’s chest.

Jack looked to the Daleks in despair. “Does the unresolved sexual tension not kill you?”

“We do not understand the need to procreate,” Maddie admitted.

“But we could always sense that there was something between them that they were not saying,” Becky added. “However, I do not think it would have killed us.” The Daleks were getting used to humans’ excessive use of hyperbole, but hadn’t quite mastered it yet.

Jack rolled his eyes “Would’ve killed _me_ , I’ll tell ya! Mind you… I would just have come back to suffer it all over again. I suppose I should consider it a blessing you two abandoned me back on the Game Station.” He nodded at Rose and the Doctor.

“Wait! What?” Rose scrunched her face in confusion. “We thought you were dead, Jack. We never would’ve…”

The Doctor shuffled a bit, ruffling the hair at the back of his neck.

“Doctor?” The warning tone in Rose’s voice reminded Becky very much of the Dalek Empress.

He tugged at his left earlobe. “Weeell, I miiiight have suspected he was alive.”

“And you jus’ left ‘im there?”

“Well, I _was_ in the process of regenerating, if you might recall. And he just… felt wrong. I had to get away from there. Sorry, Jack. You still make me feel… uncomfortable, now. But I can put up temporal shielding in my mind and that helps a bit.”

“I take a bit of getting used to, that’s for sure. I get it.”

Rose shook her head. “Yeah, but I don’t understand: you were dead, Jack. The Daleks…”

“And you brought me back, Rosie.”

“I bring life…” Rose’s voice trailed away. “But that’s good, yeah? You’re alive!”

“He can’t die, Rose,” the Doctor explained. “He’s a living fixed point.”

“You can’t…” Rose trembled, tears filling her eyes.

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Jack leaped to her side, giving her a hug. “I came to terms with it, years ago.”

“And _you_ _knew_ this?” Rose started in on the Doctor.

Becky and Maddie, looked at one another, and decided to leave the humanoid trio to sort out their differences.  “We will make some tea and biscuits and bring them to the library,” Becky suggested.

“Yes, and you can all sit by the fire when you are ready.” Maddie nodded her eyestalk.

“We do not want to interrupt, but, later, we _would_ like to hear all about what happened on the planet, today.”

“Thanks, you two.” Rose smiled, still trying to hold back tears. “How would we cope without you? We’ll meet you there in a few minutes, yeah? We just need to clear the air here a little. And some apologies need to be made.” She pointedly nudged the Doctor in the ribs, as the Daleks turned and left.

\--oOo--

It wasn’t long before the humanoids were all sitting in the TARDIS library, nursing the cups of tea Becky had made. She and Maddie settled on either side of the fireplace to join them in their post-adventure social gathering. The Doctor, Rose, and Jack had apparently settled their differences as they had been talking amicably among themselves when the two Daleks arrived.

“Rose wandered off, and that’s where all the trouble began,” the Doctor began his recount of their misadventure, as he snuggled in the corner of the sofa, his arms wrapped around Rose.

“Oi! I was only at the next vendor over, looking at some pretty earrings. But the vendor was refusing to serve one of his customers because of his species.”

Jack laughed. “And, of course, you had to intervene. Good to know some things never change. But that still doesn’t explain your injuries.”

“No, well…”

“Things escalated,” the Doctor rolled his eyes. “There’s a strict caste system on the planet, and no one, but no one, is permitted to break it. The various dominant, intelligent species all have different roles in their society, and privileges are strictly regulated.”

“It’s wrong,” Rose grumbled, frowning.

“It’s the way it is,” the Doctor reminded her. “I don’t like it either, but sometimes you have to pick your battles. This was one you could never have won.”

“I don’t think we should ever give them our business again!”

“I don’t think _that_ will _ever_ be a problem, thanks to what happened. I doubt they’ll ever let us back on the planet. Bloody shame. Best scrap vendors in the quadrant, here.”

“Oh, I daresay you’ll manage.”

“How did you get your injuries, Rose?” Becky inquired, prompting the conversation away from another row between her two friends.

“Weeell,” the Doctor piped up, “they take caste transgressions very seriously. We were both taken into custody, but Rose was beaten quite severely.” He tightened his arms around Rose. “I was forced to watch… Humans are so much more fragile than the people of that planet, and the beatings were nearly too much for her to endure. Actually, they _were_ too much for her to endure.” He sniffed, trying to hide the tears in his eyes. “I’m just glad you lot turned up when you did.”

“’M sorry, Doctor.” Rose turned and placed her hand on his chest, and boldly pressed a kiss to his lips. It soon turned into a full-on snog.

Becky wriggled inside her casing, feeling inexplicably warm and happy.

“Would you two get a room!” Jack cheered from the other end of the sofa. “C’mon, ladies,” he addressed Becky and Maddie. “It’ll be a while before those two surface, and while I wouldn’t say no to a threesome, I don’t think I’m invited to _this_ particular party.”

“Too right, you’re not!” the Doctor snarled from beneath Rose’s lips.

“Ladies, I think it’s time to let loose and try on some of the fashions the TARDIS has to offer…”

Becky was delighted at this prospect, and eagerly wheeled out of the library behind Jack.

“The TARDIS will _certainly_ have something for you, Jack!” Maddie enthused as she followed her sister to the wardrobe room.


	5. Tee-hee-hee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Daleks and Jack have fun in the Wardrobe Room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A frankly ridiculous chapter, but one I felt compelled to write.  
> Warning: I did not go into a lot of detail here, because, weeell, a picture speaks a thousand words...  
> Thanks to my husband for the photoshop!

Becky was, to quote Jack Harkness, having a blast. She, Maddie, and Jack had spent the last several hours rummaging through the wardrobe room, digging through the racks upon racks of clothes the Doctor and the TARDIS had collected throughout space and time. Becky and Maddie had ventured into the room many times, sometimes with Rose to help them out. But Jack Harkness took “dressing up” to a whole new level of excitement. Wigs, gowns, sequins, makeup, hats, and capes: nothing was out of bounds with him. There were no rules to follow, just freedom of expression, and a whole lot of fun, and for two Daleks who had never fit in to their repressive society, it was profoundly liberating.

In a corner of the wardrobe room, they found all of the Doctor’s old outfits, and the next morning, dragged the Doctor and Rose into the room with them for a “Doctor” fashion show. The Doctor had been grumpy at first, offended by them rifling through his private things, but Rose had been laughing uncontrollably, and he grudgingly softened. Becky was draped in a long striped scarf, and big floppy hat. She had added a long, curly wig to complete the look. Maddie wore a little, white bowler hat, a colourful vest covered in question marks, and carried an umbrella with a question mark on the handle. By the time Jack had paraded out wearing the Doctor’s previous regeneration’s outfit (a jumper, black denims, and a battered leather jacket,) the Doctor was chuckling as well.

Rose howled out loud at Jack’s impersonation of his ninth regeneration’s Northern accent. “Oh. My. God, Jack! You’ve nailed him!”

Jack asked the TARDIS to play _In the Mood,_ and hauled Rose, laughing, off the sofa to dance with him, as the Doctor had done once upon a time, before his regeneration, when they had first met Jack.

The Doctor growled, and launched himself off the sofa to intercept the two dancers. “This is _my_ dance, I believe.”

“Experiencin’ ‘Captain Envy’ again, Doctor,” Rose chided as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Weeell…”

“Doc,” Jack clapped his shoulder, “don’t worry. Rose only has eyes for you. Always has. Now, go dance, you crazy kids!”

As the Doctor swung Rose around the Wardrobe Room, Jack danced with Becky and Maddie, who shuffled and rotated, and spun in time to the music.

“Doctor,” Rose asked breathlessly once they had stopped, “could we all go to a proper ball? _All_ of us! To celebrate… everything!”

 “Oh, yes,” cheered Becky, “that would be so much fun!”

“Yup! Brilliant! I know just the place and time!” The Doctor gazed fondly around at all of his friends, and wrapped his arms around Rose.

“And we know just what we would wear!” Maddie added.

“That we do!” agreed Jack. He and Maddie disappeared back into the depths of the clothing racks, only to reappear a few rels later dressed in glittering outfits. Maddie’s gown was sparkling blue and pink and gold, and featured an iridescent grill cover, and thick, blue eyeliner around the rim of her eyestalk. Jack was dressed in sparkling drag: a short, jagged-hemmed dress, white pumps, and a curly, ginger wig. The two of them struck silly poses. “We’re. So. Fashionable! Tee-hee-hee!”

Rose snapped a picture with her mobile.

Becky hung the photograph on her bedroom wall, reliving the joyful memories it evoked every time she looked at it.


End file.
